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SPECIFIC COUNTRIES WORK PERMIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR 3 YEARS

Executive Decree No. 9 of April 23rd, 2019.

As of April 25th, 2019, the Ministry of Labor (MITRADEL by its acronyms in Spanish), established new rules to grant work permits to foreigners who hold Permanent Residence Permit as Foreign National of Countries with Friendly, Professional, Economic and Investment Relations with the Republic of Panama granted by the National Immigration Authority (SNM by its acronyms in Spanish).

Comments:

  • The work permit will be issued for 3 years, renewable for equal term. Previously it was granted for an indefinite term.
  • The applicant will be able to apply for this work permit with the immigration provisional I.D. card. Hence, without having a resolution granting permanent residency.  Previously, applicants could only file this work permit application when having an approved residency resolution, which implied delays of approximately 4 months to file these work permits.
  • This work permit will have a cost US$ 250.00. Previously, it had a cost of US$ 500.00.
  • To apply for the work permit renewal, the applicant will have to file, in addition to the requirements established for the first application, the following: i) Social Security quota certification issued by the Social Security Authority or, ii) income tax statement and income tax good standing certification.

Work permits under this category that are currently approved, will maintain their indefinite status. Likewise, work permit that are currently in process, prior to the issuance of this executive decree will be approved for an indefinite term, according to consultations carried out to MITRADEL.

Executive Decree No. 134 of April 23rd, 2019 that modifies the Executive Decree No. 123 of March 26th, 2019.

Venezuelans who currently live in Panama and hold an expired passport or a soon to be expired passport, will be able to use them to proceed with the immigration process, until a 2-year term counted of the original expiration date of said passport, if they have an extension stamp by the Consulate of Venezuela or a passport validation letter issued by the Consulate.

Comments:

  • This Executive Decree only applies to Venezuelans nationals, that are currently in Panama.
  • Venezuelans in Panama will be able to proceed with their immigration process with expired or soon to be expired passports, up to 2 years after the original expiration date of the passport, only if they have:
    1. An extension stamp issued by the Consulate of Venezuela or;
    2. A passport validation letter issued by the consulate.
      1. This letter must have a reference number, that must be verified with the data base of the Venezuelan Consulate in Panama.

This exception started being effective as of March 27th, 2019 for a 6-month period, until September 27th, 2019.

Executive Decree No. 100 of February 21th, 2019.

As of February 25th, 2019, new procedures to apply for tourist visa were established, to enter the Republic of Panama.  These will be applicable to i) foreign nationals that due to their nationality require an entry visa; ii) if there is no consular representation of the Republic of Panama in its country of origin or residence.

Comments:

  • This Executive Decree only applies to the foreigners that due to their nationality requires a tourist visa (entry visa) to enter Panama and when there is no Panamanian Consular representation in the country of origin or residence.
  • Foreigners will need to apply for the tourist visa through the SNM webpage migracion.gob.pa and attach the requested documents.
  • Once the tourist visa is authorized to enter Panama, the SNM will issue a document with the travel authorization, that will be send to the email that the applicant registered and will have a reference number. The applicant must be print this document and carried when entering Panama.
  • Previously, these applications were filed directly to the SNM offices in Panama and had a cost of US$ 50.00. This decree allows the issuance of the tourist visa at no cost, via online application.

DETERIORATION OR LOSS

Resolution No. 166-DM-19 of April 17TH, 2019.

MITRADEL established by means of Resolution No. 166-DM-19 of April 17th, 2019, that the cost for work permit ID duplicates due to theft, robbery, deterioration or lost will be US$ 30.00.

Comments:

  • To obtain the duplicate, the applicant must file:
    • Formal petition to MITRADEL;
    • Copy of the police complaint due to theft, robbery or loss;
    • Payment receipt to MITRADEL;
    • Copy of the resolution that granted the work permit or copy of the work permit ID.;
    • Copy of the permanent resident ID issued by the Tribunal Electoral or the immigration ID.
  • The ID Duplicate will have a cost of US$ 30.00.
  • This provision started being effective as of April 22nd, 2019.

Previously, to obtain a work permit ID duplicate, foreign employees had to pay the cost of the work permit ID, depending on the category of the work permit, which in some cases could be up to an amount of US$ 500.00.

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